Added features push this fun but underpowered droptop into a very high price point

by
Brian Harper | January 3, 2017

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It would appear there are few, if any, limits to my hypocrisy. Intrigued by the possibility of testing a droptop over the Christmas holiday season, I picked up a 2016 Mini Cooper Convertible — my rationale being to find out what it would be like to drive what is clearly a summertime car during the winter months. After all, not everyone who makes the decision to own a convertible puts it away when the weather turns frosty. However, I’m one of those who does — my Mazda MX-5 Miata roadster is occupying prime real estate in my garage; no snowflake will ever land on its shiny, deep blue paint.

As an unabashed admirer of most of Mini’s model lineup, thanks to their irrepressibly cheery dispositions and — in S and John Cooper Works versions — deceptive sportiness, I have been willing to forgive some of the brand’s more overt quirks, and even justified (in my mind, at least) its premium pricing structure. That said, I’m having issues with the as-tested sticker of the new, second-generation Convertible; a jaw-dropping $38,520. OK, even at that, the Mini is still not stupidly priced — for a convertible. But the tester’s $10,000 worth of mostly superfluous options makes me wonder.

With its standard 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine and optional six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, a much more palatable purchase decision would be to keep it at or near its base price of $28,490 for 2017. Much over that and a whole bunch of far sportier convertibles come into play, most notably the MX-5 Miata and the closely related Fiat 124 Spider, as well as the four-seat Ford Mustang V6 soft-top.

2016 Mini Cooper Convertible

Let me get more specific: The combination of boosted three-banger (a mere 136 horsepower) and $1,400 automatic transmission sucks much of the joy out of driving the Mini Convertible, turning it into more of an econocar than the brand’s reputation deserves. Oh, there’s enough moxie to the powertrain for in-town commuting thanks to the lightweight 1,316-kilogram avoirdupois and the engine’s 162 lb.-ft. of torque being on call at a low 1,250 rpm — BMW clocks the base model at 8.7 seconds to 100 km/h — but it’s a busy, growly affair under strong acceleration.

Though falling out of favour among the younger crowd, Mini’s six-speed manual is one of the best in the biz, being light and direct, with short, well-defined throws. It’s the key to defining the sporting rep of any of Mini products. For those who want to get the most out of the Mini — regardless of transmission — Sport driving mode is the only way to go. Default is Mid, and there’s also Green if you want fuel efficiency.

But say you’re more into maximum UV exposure than performance. All it takes to let the sun shine in is a push of the toggle in the front roof frame panel. Eighteen seconds later and the top is neatly stowed. It can even be fully automatically opened and closed while the car is moving, at speeds of up to 30 km/h. The soft-top operation is fully automatic, fully electric and very quiet, with a rollover protection system that is fully integrated. There’s also a sliding sunroof function, which allows the front section of the top to be retracted to continuously variable levels.

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As with the previous version, the new Convertible can be equipped with an “Always Open Timer,” which provides the perpetually tanned with the ability to calculate the number of hours they’ve driven with the top down. Available within the Mini Connected infotainment package is a 6.5-inch high-resolution screen, which displays a “rain warning” app that notifies drivers that it might be a good idea to power up the top. (Example: “Chance of rain in 20 minutes. Please close your convertible soft-top at the next parking space.”) Take your pick: Geeky or cool.

Compared with the previous Convertible, the 2016 model is more rigid. There’s less cowl flex over bumps and such. The go-kart ride, however, is still choppy at best, which should be expected considering the Mini’s short wheelbase, run-flat winter rubber and sporty intent.

Cabin-wise, the Convertible has refined the funkiness that has been a staple of Mini interiors. Yes, there are still the trademark dash area toggle switches, but the massive circular display screen no longer houses the speedometer (which is now right in front of the driver where it should be); it serves to illustrate various settings such as the rear parking sensor and the navigation screen. Speaking of parking, it’s worth noting that rear visibility is equally poor whether the top is up or stowed. On the 2016 model, a rear camera (which should be standard as a safety feature) is included in an $800 Visibility package, which also requires ticking off a $1,500 Wired Navigation package.

2016 Mini Cooper Convertible

Seeing its overall dimensions increase when compared with the previous Convertible, the new Mini is quite comfortable for the driver and their front-seat passenger; though the rear seats are still best left for the young and/or short. Actually, the back seats should be considered extra luggage room. Even though the actual rear trunk compartment is about 25 per cent larger than the previous model, it’s still limited in function — 5.7 cubic feet when the top is open, 7.6 cu. ft. when it’s closed.

With the snow tires fitted, the Convertible is as competent a winter car as most front-wheel-drive subcompacts and a lot more fun. It handles light snow quite well and the small cabin heats up jiffy quick. (I put on the heated seats, cranked the HVAC up to max and dropped the top for a quick toot around town a couple of days after Christmas. With the windows up, reducing wind turbulence, I was quite comfortable in 1°C temperatures.)

Were I thinking of Mini for my al-fresco motoring, I’d be much more inclined to pony up for the 189-horsepower Cooper S. There’s a far greater duality to that model — laid-back runabout for most days, genuine giant-killer when the mood arrives and road (or track) conditions allow. The base Cooper does have charm, but its lack of power for the price asked ultimately puts too big a dent in its personality.